Hey CityStep!

Hey CityStep!

What a year it has been! We hit the ground running, with classes beginning in early October and a visit to New York City for CityStep’s 30th Anniversary Gala and for teaching workshops at National Dance Institute. We then put on our dancing shoes for our second annual November fundraiser, Dizzy Dancing, a chance for Harvard students to learn dances from CityStep members and cultural dance groups—everything from MJ’s Thriller to traditional Indian dance. In December, we finished the fall semester with our Mini Performances, an opportunity for CityStep students to show off their moves and simulate a CityStep class experience for parents, teachers, and peers.

Despite record-‐breaking snow threatening to slow us down, our CitySteppers made great progress in February and March, dazzling at the All Day Rehearsal, where CitySteppers choreographed, rehearsed, and performed for each other on Harvard’s campus. Before we knew it, the stage lights were up for our Final Show in April. Each CityStep class brought the audience to a different part of the world, showcasing the traditions, holidays, dances, and music of cultures from all over the world. Two weeks later, we met again for our end-‐of-‐the-‐year picnic on Harvard’s campus to say our teary goodbyes for the year.

As exciting as it is to look back at the accomplishments and growth of our students and our CityStep company, we cannot wait to look forward and see how CityStep grows in the next year as we pass on the torch to our new and energetic leadership. We are proud to join the ranks of an alumni group that continues to support the mission of CityStep in both thought and deed.

Ooh Aah,

Emelie and Jeremy Heather and Erik Outgoing Executive Directors Outgoing Executive Producers

Hey

August 4, 2015

Summer Newsletter

CityStep Harvard Presents

CityStep! Letter from the Directors

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Passport to CityStep was a celebration of music, dance, culture, and art throughout the world. Each was inspired by a country or region, which the teachers and students spent the year exploring and studying. The final show was an incredible culmination of our year of learning and discovery—it was a colorful, exuberant celebration of everything CityStep champions: creativity, self-‐expression, diversity, learning, and joy. We started the show in “a CityStep classroom” with the Uptown Funk warm-‐up that begins all our CityStep classes. We then buckled our seatbelts, made sure our seats were in the upright and locked position, and began our journey around the world. We started in Latin America, and from there we traveled to Carnivale in the Carribean, and a Chinese New Year celebration, before cruising around the Mediterranean. After intermission, we journeyed to the Middle East, to a Bollywood celebration in India, and finally to a drum circle in Africa, returning back to a CityStep classroom for the Finale. It was quite a journey!

A huge shout-‐out goes to the extraordinary organizations that helped enrich the children’s experience and understanding of cultures across the world. We were so lucky to get to work with dance and music groups on campus, including the South Asian Dance Company, the Harvard Caribbean Club, and The Harvard Undergraduate Drummers (THUD).

This Year’s CityStep Show!

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Other Happenings

CityStep Picnic Each year, we have a picnic

for of the CityStep classes on Harvard’s Quad Lawn. It’s a time for CitySteppers to swap stories from the end of the year show and last-‐minute selfies with CityStep teachers.

This May, we had a beautiful

day on the lawn, complete with home-‐baked goods from CityStep parents, chalk drawings (including a massive game of hopscotch with over 50 steps) and a collegiate Quiddich game to watch! The 3YP-‐ers couldn’t bear the thought of graduating CityStep, so they even started a donation fund for a 4YP class. Even though there won’t be a 4YP class next year, we have a feeling we won’t be seeing the last of these CitySteppers!

Natalie Portman’s Shout-out! CityStep Alumna Natalie Portman was the commencement speaker at Harvard's graduation this year. Knowing that she would be on campus, we dropped off a CityStep sweatshirt for her, hoping to remind her of some fond memories. We had no idea she would give a shout out to CityStep in her speech! Here's what she said: "My Harvard degree and other awards are emblems of the experiences which led me to them: the wood-‐paneled lecture halls, the colorful fall leaves, the hot vanilla at Toscaninis, reading great novels in overstuffed library chairs, running through dining halls screaming 'Ooh, Aah, CityStep, CityStep, CityStep, CityStep!’” We were overjoyed that Natalie not only mentioned us so prominently, but also-‐-‐as is the case for so many of us in the company-‐-‐that CityStep had made such an impact on her.

Thanks for the shout-out, Natalie!

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Introducing… Next Year’s Board!

Executive Directors Executive Producers

Music Directors

Classroom Directors

A note from the 2015-2016 Board

We are thrilled to be coming on as CityStep’s 2015-‐2016 Board! Each of us has gained so much from being a part of CityStep—an on-‐campus community, an outlet for creativity, and, of course, an excuse to spend 3 hours a week with some truly inspiring kids. We feel incredibly fortunate to be able to give back to a program that has given us so much, and we cannot wait to jump right in! Until then...

Conor, Emma, Becca, Jerry, Alicia, Alyyah, Anali, Lisa, Michelle, Sean, John, and Sam

Brought to you by CityStep Harvard

Conor Emma Becca Jerry

Alicia Alyyah Anali Lisa

Michelle Sean John Sam

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Hey CityStep!